It has been with mankind for 2500 years and led to the meeting of Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan.

In Mr. Jin Yong's The Demi-Gods & Semi-Devils, what uncovers the stormy waves is a "lightning marten" that appeared shortly after the opening. It is described in the book that "Zhong Ling patted the skin around his waist and peed twice in his mouth, then suddenly the white shadow flashed and the lightning marten jumped out."

In addition to ferocity, the lightning marten in the story also shows distinct companion animal characteristics. For example, when Duan Yu was alone, he saw "a flash of gray shadow, a small animal leaping down from a tall tree and squatting outside his body." Duan Yu just "boos a few times", the lightning marten "lying on the ground motionless."

Zhong Ling and her "Lightning Marten" in TV dramas. Photo: 2013 version of "The Demi-Gods & Semi-Devils"

If there were no lightning marten with Duan reputation to meet Mangyi clam, Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan's life would have been rewritten. However, as an obsessed nerd of natural history, I have been obsessed with another question-is it really possible for the "lightning marten" in the story to exist?

Does the Lightning Marten really exist?

The Old World minks come from the family Mustelidae, and among the dozens of weasels that live on our planet, one has been domesticated by humans for more than 2, 500 years, called the blindfolded ferret (Mustela putorius furo). By the time of The Demi-Gods & Semi-Devils 's background in the Song Dynasty, blindfolded minks, as companion animals, had been domesticated for more than a thousand years.

Such a black "blindfold" is the reason why the blindfolded mink gets its name. Picture: gcfa.com

After a long period of domestication, blindfolded minks are friendly to humans and cats and dogs and can obey simple orders while retaining the fanaticism and agility of weasels. It is entirely possible that in the Song Dynasty, blindfolded minks were brought to China by adventurers and businessmen who traveled long distances.

Blindfolded minks are close to people and can even obey simple orders. Picture: gifcat.com

Minks and humans chose each other.

The wild ancestor of blindfolded ferrets may be European ferrets (Mustela putorius). They first entered the human world, probably related to the discovery by the ancient Romans (equivalent to the Spring and Autumn period in China) that the ancestors of blindfolded minks could be used to catch rats and rabbits. Catching rodents can put an end to plague and save rodents from wasting food; catching rabbits can have delicious roast rabbit legs. For the past 2,500 years, blindfolded minks have lived mainly as hunting helpers in the human world. It was not until the last 200 years that the blindfolded mink gradually became a pet all over the world.

This 14th century painting depicts women using blindfolded minks to catch hares. Time corresponds to the background of "Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre"-the Yuan Dynasty. Picture: Wikipedia

Despite their small size, they have excellent hunting skills. Picture: BrumCraft / Wiki commons

In fact, this is a process of two-way selection, or more directly, the ancestors of blindfolded minks also chose humans. Human barns attract a variety of wild rodents that tempt adventurous European ferrets. Considering that these mink weasels are not too aggressive or do too much damage, humans take the initiative to accept them and change their color and shape in the process of domestication.

Despite the name ferret, blindfolded ferrets are more common in combinations from gray, brown to black. Picture: mammalfacts.com

Walking between the domesticated and the wild

After a long period of companionship, today's pet blindfolded mink is no longer suitable for wild life. In some cases, however, blindfolded minks can return to nature, dominate or even destroy ecosystems.

The blindfolded mink, which looks smart and soft, is a threatening killer once it enters the natural world. Picture: reddit.com

In New Zealand, because of the proliferation of rabbits, weasels such as blindfolded minks were introduced around 1880 to control rabbits and protect pastures. In less than a decade, blindfolded minks have established their own habitats and breeding populations in the wilderness. In addition to hares, those dull, rare and endangered birds-kiwi, mountain blue duck, kakapo and so on-can not escape the claws of blindfolded minks. The Kakapo's distribution area even shrinks to an island where there is only no sign of weasels.

Because there are no powerful predators in the evolutionary process, cute birds such as kiwi are completely defenseless against invading blindfolded marten. Picture: kiwibird.org

Because of their close kinship, pet blindfolded ferrets are easy to cross with European ferrets. This makes it easier for them to regain the ability to survive in the wild and become a major threat to the wild.

Because of their close kinship, pet blindfolded ferrets are easy to cross with European ferrets. Picture: Manfred Danegger / photoshot.com

Your pet mink needs attention.

Compared with domestic dogs that have been domesticated by humans for more than 10,000 years, and domestic cats that have domesticated humans for almost 10,000 years, blindfolded minks have been domesticated for a short time. So they retain more of the living habits of their primitive ancestors. Because of such habits and characteristics, we also need to be more careful in the process of accompanying pet minks.

In fact, the bodies of blindfolded minks are full of the shadow of their wild ancestors. Picture: giphy.com

Talking to pet doctors in the United States, they told me that there are more sick blindfolded minks in hospitals than cats and dogs combined, and one of the important reasons is that anything can be swallowed by blindfolded minks. For example, some blindfolded minks like to bite carpets and wallpaper; some like to eat plastic bags and boxes; and some directly swallow glass balls, socks and shoe polish. The entry of these things into the intestines and stomach may put the lives of the little ones in danger. This desire to explore is the instinct of weasels, so mink families should train them from an early age not to swallow foreign bodies, but also to pick up clutter and be vigilant at all times.

"if you eat, you will know how to eat." Picture: gifak.net

Blindfolded minks and their weasel relatives generally have short intestines, fast digestion and high metabolic rates. So, unlike cats and dogs, Diao people always seem to be hungry and thirsty. Therefore, once you decide to keep blindfolded minks as pets, always remind yourself to prepare enough food and water, and keep the air conditioner on in summer to satisfy them at any time.

Always hungry. Give me something to eat. Picture: boredpanda.com

The wild ancestors of blindfolded minks ate meat, and evolution did not give them the ability to digest cellulose and large amounts of starch. Therefore, when choosing rations for blindfolded minks, we must pay attention to the content of protein and fat, and choose dried meat feed with high protein nutrition. Repeat the important things three times: do not feed cats and dogs, do not feed cats and dogs!

Although it is not suitable for cats and dogs, blindfolded minks and cats and dogs get along well. Picture: cat-gifs.com

Blindfolded minks fall asleep in the dark, which is how their wild ancestors saved energy. Once awake, wild minks need to hunt efficiently and quickly, and pet minks need to play crazy. So your mink needs more than 18 hours of sleep a day, and when it wakes up, it needs toys, company, and energy consumption. So once you raise a Diao Man, remember to play with him and remember that he is eagerly looking forward to you.

It was really dark when the blindfolded marten fell asleep. Picture: reddit.com

Human domestication of wild animals is always accompanied by genetic diseases and birth defects. Such a lovely pet mink does not live long. The average life expectancy of blindfolded minks is only 6-8 years, about 4 years old is about middle age, and about 6 years old is old age. With age, kidney disease, heart disease, ulcers, bowel disease, insuloma, lymphoma and other diseases may appear in them. Therefore, for older blindfolded minks, be sure to observe their diet, defecation, breathing, coughing, hiccups and other phenomena, which can help veterinarians diagnose them.

The blindfolded mink, which seems to have the characteristics of being cute and sensitive, has to be taken good care of by the owner. Picture: giphy.com

In the wild, blindfolded minks drill holes. Therefore, to bring it into your house, it is best to keep it in a cage and let them out to play and exercise every day. Otherwise, it may appear at any time behind the TV cabinet, under the sofa, in the washing machine drain hole, in the toilet, in the middle of piles of dirty clothes.

There are mink people in the family, maybe. All kinds of habits should be changed. Picture: boredpanda.com

Write in the last words

Accompany each other with human beings for 2500 years, neither short nor long. This time is enough to make humans and blindfolded minks close to each other, enough to let Duan Yu, Xuzhu and Xiao Feng get together and separate, but can not erase the primitive instincts of blindfolded minks.

The light-colored individual of the blindfolded marten, the gray / white shadow "lightning marten" in The Demi-Gods & Semi-Devils may be it. Picture: Aur é lien Mora / wiki commons

Therefore, if you decide to bring this lightning-like creature to your home as a companion animal, be sure to understand their habits. Because these habits are intertwined with millions of years of natural evolution and 2500 years of mutual adaptation.

This is the 179th article in the fourth year of the species calendar, from @ Wang Fang, author of the species calendar.

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